Buyer Beware - 5 THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE BUYING HOME DENTAL TREATMENTS
Dentists are currently running reduced services due to Covid-19. That means more people are using home dental kits for temporary fixes to loose crowns, broken dentures etc… We’ve put together a simple checklist for spotting whether a dental kit meets the appropriate medical guidelines along with answers to your biggest queries on dental self-treatment.
Are home dental treatments safe?
With the right materials performing dental self-treatment is safe, effective and an excellent stopgap between appointments. But care should be taken to avoid the potentially unsafe products and techniques that have flooded social media and the online market in recent months. If you are ever in doubt, get advice. In the UK, the Dental Health Foundation operates a helpline for dental related matters.
Why would I try home dental treatments?
Dentists have been badly affected by Covid-19 and we don’t know when they’ll get back to offering regular services and appointments. While performing treatment a dentist would be right in the firing line for potentially contagious droplets so only the most urgent cases are being dealt with and even then, the use of specialist masks and deep-cleaning means very few appointments will fit into the day. If your problem isn’t technically urgent enough, you will likely be told to take painkillers and sit tight until things change. Dental treatments may be on hold but our lives are not, so self-treatment is the perfect temporary solution.
How to spot safe dental products
Here are our 5 tests for spotting whether a self-treatment product complies with medical regulations. This not an exhaustive list and does not represent a 100% guarantee but they are important things to check before putting a medical product in your mouth.
1 Does the pack clearly display a European CE Mark?
2 Does the pack display the name and address of the European manufacturer or their representative?
3 Can you see the product lot (or batch) number along with the use-by date?
4 Do the product packaging details match those on the manufacturer's website?
5 Is the product clearly marked for home use, rather than professional use?
Where to buy home dental products
Your local chemist, drugstore and online retailers will typically stock a range of home use dental kits for common emergencies like lost fillings, loose dental caps, etc… Buying from a recognised and reputable seller is a good way of protecting yourself. Of course, if you know the brand and manufacturer you’re looking for it makes things easier and on that note, our Dr Denti – Home Use range is safe, effective and widely stocked around the world!